


Consequences

by Elise_Arveldis



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aftermath, Angst and Feels, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Consequences, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship/Love, Healing, Implied Sexual Content, Male-Female Friendship, Miscommunication, Mutant Powers, Oblivious Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Teasing, Time Skips, Time Travel, Working up to Endgame, X-Men References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2020-03-09 02:20:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18907525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elise_Arveldis/pseuds/Elise_Arveldis
Summary: For Valencia, making a home when all you knew was a lie, is a difficult thing to do when you feel like you can't trust anyone you've come to know. A select few allows her a reprieve, yet she managed to find someone who made her feel it was safe to finally let her guard down; to allow someone else into the chaotic mess she called life.For Steve, when all you knew was gone with the times, it became difficult to move on and build a home from something different. Regardless of how well he managed to adapt. But she felt comforting and very much familiar; he let himself finally breathe.The events of SHIELD's fall, brought them together. With each successes and failures, they built something that was seemingly impenetrable. Then came the civil war which tore their family apart. Regaining old allies and able to stick together, they thought they would make it. The 'snap' occurring, was the shatter point that obliterated their foundations. Both were reminded just how it all began. It was hard to realise something that was right in front of you...Every action you take has its consequences.





	1. All the Same to Me

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter named after the song by Anya Marina.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or plots of Marvel's Captain America or the Avengers.

“Die, you bitch!”

 

“Not gonna happen, you arsehole!” A feminine voice breathed out in frustration.

 

The captain passed by a room and paused. A STRIKE agent was having a hand-to-hand combat with a woman in a lab coat and he was getting the better of her. She had a shoulder wound that he could see, and cuts bleeding on her face and arms. But he was not unscathed either. The STRIKE agent had a split lip and a large gash down his arm.

 

“Well I can’t let you destroy what Hydra wants.” He grunted. The male’s hands encroached upon her neck. She tried to push them away with her hand.

 

“And I can’t let Hydra have it. I’m sorry.” Steve was about to throw his shield when her apology struck him as odd. A man was strangling her and she apologised? Suddenly, her hand at the nape of his neck glowed and the agent flopped on top of the woman.

 

Huffing and puffing, the woman shoved the agent’s face to the side. Looking up from the floor, she finally noticed the other occupant of the room. “Mind lifting him off me?” No longer were there cuts that he could see. Only dried blood.

 

“Yes, maam.” He helped her up, and he was looking over her injuries to see how fine she was when- Bang! The captain pushed the woman and himself down behind the counter. “You should get out of here while you still can.” 

 

“I will, I just need to-” Seeing an agent aiming at the captain’s back from the second doorway, the woman hastily grabbed a scalpel from a fallen tray before aiming it right at the perpetrator’s jugular. “Delete all files.”

 

The captain known as Steve Rogers whipped his head in time to see the agent go down before he manoeuvred his shield to block the bullet sent his way. “What files could be so important than your safety?”

 

“Files pertaining to enhanced youths? I can’t let Hydra or anyone else get to them if SHIELD goes down.” She went to surveil the hallway before coming back to the computer in the examining room.

 

He gripped her forearm to stop her. “What makes you think that they don’t already have them? They infiltrated SHIELD, or have you not been paying attention?” Sarcasm was dripping heavily in his tone.

 

“Only a select few that the colonel trusts has the codes, Rogers. Now please watch my six while I delete them from the mainframe and the cloud.”

 

As the bar finally reached one hundred percent, the female input the codes for the self-destruction of the ward’s mainframe. Briefly touching the captain’s elbow, they both made their way to the entrance of the ward. She took the gun of the dead Hydra agent’s body. Looking for danger, they both saw bodies strewn everywhere. Patients, nurses and doctors. Who knew which ones were Hydra? A familiar shade of dimmed, green eyes stared at her. She felt her wall waver, and so made herself take a deep breath.

 

“...that’s not the problem, Sam. What’s the time stamp?” The man known as Steve Rogers seemed perturbed, and who would judge him? Currently, the situation was hardly accommodating passivity. 

 

Rushing along the hallway towards the helicarriers, Steve Rogers motioned for quietness as he listened past the corner they were about to pass. Plink. A shrapnel grenade rolled to the front of the Captain’s feet before exploding. He curled his body to protect hers.

 

As the ringing faded they both looked up to see the silhouette of one Bruck Rumlow. “Well, well, well. Look who we have here.” A menacing smile danced across his features.

 

Looking past Steve’s shoulder, she saw what the extent of the damage was for him. He shielded her at the most unfortunate time. Burnt flesh and blood on the side of his face smelt acrid in the smoky air, and she herself felt some first degree burns on her peripheral body. Pieces of small metal were already being pushed out of tissue as his healing factor worked to maintain his form.

 

Rumlow kicked the Captain to the side and she reached out for him. Crouching low towards the woman, Rumlow’s sadistic tendencies were shown in full blood. A gun was pointed at her temple as his right hand swept aside her stray hairs. Cupping her jaw, he looked regretful for an instant.  “You should’ve taken up on my offer, Grey, we would’ve had so much fun together.”

 

She locked his gun wielding hand through a pressure point with a clatter. He screamed in silence, body contorting with unrestrained spasms. Second by painstaking second, the Captain couldn’t believe his eyes, as he felt his body reinvigorated faster than usual. Burns appeared on Rumlow’s face, congealed blood dripping down like a syrup fountain from open wounds where shrapnel had met the Captain’s body. He fell unconscious as the pain became too unbearable.

 

Hearing multiple footsteps heading their way, Steve quickly knelt before the woman who looked more pale than a moment ago. “What did you do?”

 

Her breathing was shallow and she couldn’t even lift her head as she softly spoke. “I took what you had and gave it to him. I-I can’t do anything more right now, I’m drained. Leave me and finish what you started, Rogers.” 

 

Throwing his shield to apprehend their would-be attackers, he lifted Grey. “I’m not going to leave you defenceless.”

 

“There’s no ti-” 

 

“Let me return the favour, Grey. That’s an order.”

 

It wasn’t long before Steve handed her over to the care of Maria Hill. It wasn’t long after, that she lost consciousness to the world, whilst he drifted down to the bottom of the Potomac River. 

He fluttered his eyes open, as he adjusted to the painful light filtering through his lashes. A beeping sound spiked up briefly, and he heard the thudding of a door closing.

 

“Glad to see you back, Rogers. Thank you for the save.”

 

“G-g-Grey?” His voice croaked.

 

The bed moved him gently to an upright position, and he felt muscle groups straining to accommodate. Gentle hands lifted his head as his pillow was adjusted, before a straw came to his lips.

 

“Drink slowly now. And please call me Valencia. I think we’ve passed the last name basis.”

 

“Then call me Steve.” Despite how weak he looked laying on the hospital bed, his eyes looked on with steel strength. “I’m in your care?”

 

“You were entrusted to me, yes. You’ve been unconscious for less than a week, suffering many contusions and broken bones. It was touch and go for a moment, as you had a subdural hematoma, but we took care of it to help you along.” 

 

“Are you not going to check up on me?” Perplexed, he looked straight at her for an answer.

 

“If you want me to poke and prod, it’ll be my pleasure. But since you’ve seen what I can do, it won’t come as a shock to say, ‘I can feel you.’” He raised his eyebrow.

 

“Right, that didn’t come out as I intended it to. But to clarify, you feel like you’ve just been run over by a bus. Your muscles feel tight to you, particularly your trapezius muscles. Your neck is...stiff, and you feel very hungry.” 

 

“That’s very… apt. Butl, doll, shouldn’t we have a few dinners before you feel me?” A hint of a Brooklyn rake shone through a crooked grin. Valencia shook her head, amused.

 

“Slow down, geezer. I don’t think we’re ready for that yet.”

 

He rubbed his face. “I’m sorry if I came on a little strong, it just came out.”

Valencia giggled at his apology then tried to put on a stern face. “Ok, one, I didn’t expect Captain America to be so apologetic about everything. And two, I don’t know whether I should be flattered you feel comfortable to have hit on me, or whether I should be insulted that you might not have intended to nor have interest in me. Which is it, Steve?” One hand on hip, she raised an eyebrow at him.

 

Steve’s face adopted the expression of a school boy scolded by one of the nuns at the church. “Hey, now.” Valencia placed a comforting hand on his. “I didn’t mean anything by it. Feel free to speak your mind when with me, Steve. I’m not fragile.”

 

“You look it.” A minute pause then he shyly looked up. “Thank you.” Blue eyes gazed with strong appreciation. “I like what I’ve seen of you so far. I mean, not just what you look li-”

 

“Steve, calm down. I like what I’ve seen of you so far, too.” She teased.

 

“You’ll never let me live this conversation down, will you?” Her light laughter gave him all the answer he needed, and brought a smile to his face. 

 

“Oh, before I forget - one Natalia, wanted me to give this to you.” Looking down at the piece of paper, he felt himself sigh.

 

_ Sharon Carter - +1 253 7876244 _

_ Call her _

 

“Not good news, I take it?”

 

“What? No. It’s just…”

 

“You don’t need to explain yourself to me. You’re allowed to have your privacy, you know?”

 

“Thank you. I haven’t been reminded of that in a while.”

 

“Your puppy eyes are the worst, Rogers.”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Are we back to last names now?”

 

“Smart Alec. You look like you need a hug right now. If you don’t say no in a few seconds, you’re getting one.”

 

He didn’t refuse. She infused him with warmth and gentleness he hadn’t felt in a while. It was nice. The man known as Steve Rogers finally just let things be, and enjoyed the moment. 

 

“She’s been pressuring me to date.” He mumbled into her shoulder.

“Hmm?”  Distancing herself to hear him, Valencia sat down on the chair adjacent to the bed.

 

“Natalia. She keeps giving me names.”

 

“I’m guessing that this one captured your interest, Steve. I didn’t mean to snoop, but I recognise a number when I see one… If you want to know, I’ve met her. She was nothing but nice and thoughtful.”

 

“Sharon? I thought she was… I don’t know what to think anymore. She was doing her job. And Natasha, she’s a good friend with the best of intentions, I know that.”

 

“But? Sorry, I can hear the ‘but’ in your statement. It’s hanging like molasses from your tone.”

 

He tilted his head back to the pillow. “But, I just want to take my time. If I’m ready, I’m ready and I’ll put myself out there. Natasha thinks that I shouldn’t wait too long. I’ve already missed so much, she says. So she keeps hounding me, and I can feel myself close to snapping sometimes.”

 

“Would you like a way out?”

 

“How? She’s too persistent, it drives me crazy.”

 

“And you’re not?”

 

“Fair point. What’s my option, Valencia?”

 

“One, you remain as you are and she’ll keep asking you about Sharon or keep giving you options of females she knows. Two, you can give her nothing to complain about.”

 

He gave her a deadpan stare. “Give her nothing to complain about? What are you actually suggesting?”

 

“We can call each other friends by now, yes?” A shaken head let her continue. “I’m suggesting that I can help get Natalia off your back, by hanging out with you. She’ll think you’re on a date, whilst we can develop this friendship. The fall made me lose so much… I need to rebuild.” At that moment, both were reminded of the happenings that took place the past week. His thoughts were broken when she asked, “So what do you say? Let’s hit two birds with one stone?”

 

Intonation both strongly appreciative and meek, Steve initiated what could be the worst and greatest thing he’d ever do. “Would you like to have dinner with me?"

 

A knock sounded the door, and the handle clicked. She stood and turned to leave the room.

 

Looking over her shoulder, “How about lunch when you’re out, Steve. I don’t make it a habit to go out with a current patient.” Her genial smile made him flush.

 

_ Would this just be friendship? She made him feel grounded. _

 

“Good to see you again, Sam. Someone should come by soon with his lunch. Make sure he eats.” The door closed and Sam Wilson strolled to his bedside with a sloppy grin.

 

“Dude, since when have you got game?”

 

“What’s this I hear about a game?” A husky female voice joined the conversation.

 

“Natasha. There are no games happening, Sam’s just delusional.”

 

“Uh, I beg to differ. If you don’t tap that, Rogers, you’re senile.”

 

“Hmm. Carter?”

 

“There’s two?”

 

“Not Carter?” 

 

Both visitors looked shocked.

 

“Dr. Grey then, Not... bad. I’ll back off and let her handle you, it’ll be - entertaining.”

 

“Damn, son. Your game just doubled. What have you been taking?”

  
Not a moment later, a nurse came knocking to give Steve food. She looked amused as he pleaded for her to save him. His two visitors were certainly teasing him about a girl.  _ Ah _ , she thought,  _ young affections _ . She left the room hearing a groan of annoyance.


	2. Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you feel like you're done, the best thing to have is people you trust, around to help you pick up the pieces. It's enough to help you get back on your feet and regain yourself. It's enough for you to carry on...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter named after the song by Ariana Grande.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters or plots.

It had been a very long week; Valencia was glad to see Steve. It had been months since they first met. From the time they had made the agreement, they’ve made time to see one another - not only a ruse for Natalia - and so far, their friendship had grown far easier than either of them would like to admit.

 

“So how’s Lin coming along? Did she manage to finish her project?” Steve always seemed to amaze Valencia with every conversation: even when he looked weary - exhausted from a mission - he managed to retain what she said previously and ask about it weeks after the conversation had taken place. She supposed it was due to the super soldier serum, but she couldn’t deny that his interest and attention made her feel obnoxiously happy. 

 

His blue eyes smiled as her countenance sprung into life at the topic. “She’s actually doing great! I can’t believe how far she’s come along with it. Just yesterday she managed to fully comprehend the DNA sequence for drought resistant plants, and now she’s onto applying it for other plants in the greenhouse…”

 

“You’re proud of her.” His simple observation ceased her torrential recount. Valencia blinked up at him as they entered her brownstone. 

 

With a tilt of her head she replied, “I guess I am. Your advice helped me understand her. Thank you.” A squeezed hand later, and the duo made their way to start their movie marathon.

 

Luke was carrying Yoda on his back. The room was dark, with the screen’s light flickering in the room. “ _You must unlearn what you have learned_.” Steve looked down at the person practically lying atop him on the couch, as they watched the film ardently. He seemed to look far away before focusing back to the present.

 

Feeling him tense, Valencia tilted her head back. “Are you okay? If you’re uncomfortable I can move.”

 

“Hmm? I’m fine. This is comfortable.” He relaxed before pulling her back to him. Her small hand covered the one on her abdomen, as she hugged the one over her shoulder with the other arm. 

 

“If you’re sure. You’re like my personal teddy-heater.”

 

“Well you’re like my little heat-leech. Just as well since you love your blankets…”

 

As time passed, and their relationship grew, they never noticed how they always returned to adopt this position for every movie watched. One day - post the Ultron debacle - when the Avengers had their own movie night, Tony raised his brow at the duo. “Is this a thing?”

 

“It’s comfortable, Tony. Shut up and watch the movie.” 

 

“Ooooh, language, Capsicle.” Valencia giggled at the interaction when a kernel was tossed at the billionaire. As everyone else watched, amused, a smirking Natalia and Sam raised their glass to one another.

 

~*~

Sam called her and without hesitance she found cover for her shift and rushed to the complex. When she arrived, Sam was waiting, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed with a frown on his face. 

 

Things could be heard crashing, and papers were heard fluttering to the floor in a frenzy. “Did…?” The question was left unfinished as they heard a wall caving in.

 

Sam’s brown eyes looked sorrowful. He shook his head and only said one word, “Almost,” and it was enough to explain the current situation. Almost was never enough, and with ‘almost’ occurring with every side mission for the past year, she could understand how the dam had finally burst. 

 

The three of them - her, Natalia and Sam - had been waiting for this. 

 

Sam clasped her shoulder with a squeeze as he retreated from the premise and she entered. “Steve?”

 

Steve was leaning against the left wall. Cracked light blue paint by his head, revealed how troubled he was. She walked to his side, stepping over fallen objects swiftly like it was a course.

 

“Argh! It’s been months, Vi… I don’t know what to do anymore.” Steve felt like the world was making a joke out of him. 

 

Tilting his lowered head towards her, Valencia cupped his face. “Breathe for me, Stevie. In...six, seven….Out, one, two…”

 

Their foreheads touching, they looked at each other; one with confusion and adrift, the other consoling and patient. He grasped one of her hands on his face like it was a lifeline.

 

“He’s trying to remember himself, and maybe it’s better that he does this alone for now. He’s not going to run away from you forever, Stevie. ‘Til the end of the line,’ remember? You’re not going to give up and he’s not going to either. We won’t let anything like that come about, right?” 

 

“I- no, we won’t.” With closed eyes and a sigh he slid down to his knees. She became his anchor then; His moon that he gravitated to. He hugged her tightly with his head at her belly. For a long time, they stayed like that.


End file.
